Migration at Stone Creek

A dark, cloudy morning, I take a stroll around Stone Creek. As I arrive, there is a large flock of Mallard on stubbles, with a few Curlew and Pheasants. The tide is ebbing and is quite low when I get to the creek. I hear Pink-footed Geese, but I only see a flock moving west later. It is a while since I've been at Stone Creek, and looking out I get the impression that the saltmarsh is growing on this section of the Humber.

Mallard on stubbles.

A Little Egret drops at Ottringham Drain and when I get there there is a Grey Heron too.

Grey Heron.

Little Egret.

Five Little Grebes are feeding at Keyingham Drain.

Little Grebes.

I spend some time scanning the exposed mudflats by the creek. There are 8 Redshank, a couple of Curlew and 5 Shelduck. Another Little Egret is feeding there.

Shelduck.

Little Egret.

Curlew.

Three Snipe fly south, calling. A Marsh Harrier is quartering the marsh. There is a large Golden Plover flock out in the salt marsh. 

I walk West on the floodbank path. The ditch by the bank is lined by hawthorns and nervous flocks of Redwing feeding on the berries. Three Swallows fly in circles around poplar at Stone Creek House. I hear a Jay and then flush it from the hawthorns. There are a lot of Jays migrating, possibly due to a poor oak mast this year in the continent. The Marsh Harrier passes west and then over the floodbank onto the fields.

Yellowhammers.

Golden Plover.

Golden Plover.

Marsh Harrier.

Redwing.

I return to the creek. A Greenshank is now feeding by the water, bobbing like a Redshank when alarmed.

Greenshank.

Before I leave, I spot a Common Seal hauled out on a board. It seems a bit uneasy at my presence so, after a few snaps, I let it be. It looks like it had been previously rescued, as it had a yellow plastic tag on its flipper: BR028.

Harbour Seal.